


In This Universe

by surprisesurprise



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-26
Packaged: 2017-12-06 13:30:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surprisesurprise/pseuds/surprisesurprise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teammates and friends, Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, are attacked by Dr. Doom, resulting in Tony bouncing around between parallel universes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In This Universe

Tony never knew where he was going to be when he opened his eyes these days. 

It felt like an endless ride on the Screaming Viper, as far as he could tell. He would be somewhere—the Avengers Tower, The Mansion, the helicarrier--and then suddenly he could feel the metaphorical rollercoaster ride begin. He couldn’t do anything but surrender to the acceleration, the climb, and the the descent coming with a whoosh, accompanied by the ringing in his ears and a herky, jerky landing of sorts.

Then he might open his eyes and find himself in a battle. In a bed. In the 1940’s… And he might be there a minute, a week, a month. More. And then without warning the rollercoaster started up again and he felt himself being carried away and he landed somewhere else.

But this was instantly different. Could he finally release the seatbelt and exit the damn ride? Was he actually waking up…home? Be still his arc reactor. No, wait, not really. He glanced at the humming, glowing light. And released a breath he didn’t know he held.

He tried to lift his head, move his arms…nevermind. He’ll just lay there a minute longer. In the middle of Manhattan caught unarmed, unaware, he was trapped amidst the rubble of Dr. Doom’s latest assault. Steve, he had been there, too. Okay, the thought of Steve caused his hand to grope, reach out. Steve. He landed on Steve’s arm and he felt a rush of relief. 

When he turned his head toward him—a difficult task, damn!-- he saw Steve, simultaneously opening his eyes and turning towards him. Steve’s hand cautiously passing over Tony’s blue glowing light beneath his torn shirt. His lips curling up in a slight smile, despite the obvious head wound, and caked blood in Steve’s hair.

“Tony,” he said quietly.

“Ca—“ But Tony sputtered, his mouth filling with a metal taste and his tongue suddenly feeling thick and uncooperative. His whole body hurt, really, it felt like his insides were being put through a ringer, his body burning, twisting…failing?

“Wh--where you been?” Tony gulped. 

“Right here, Tony. Doom…do you remember?” To himself he said, “Damn. Can’t move my legs. Can’t move…”

Tony shook his head. “No. Where you been? Where’d you go?”

“Tony. Didn’t go anywhere,” Steve looked at him very seriously at this point, “Was here with you, the whole time. I didn’t leave you.”

Steve didn’t understand, this much Tony could tell. Tony tried to gather up the energy to ask right. To tell Steve. It was important, what he had to say. They had become best friends, for a while now, and he knew if he every stopped traveling between parallel universes and got back to his Steve he wanted to tell him something. He needed to tell him.

Tony gave a long blink. It was an effort to open his eyes again, but he needed to see his friend’s face. 

Steve now leaned toward him, and Tony found Steve’s arms wrapping around him. “The team’s coming, Tony. Hang in there. Stay with me.”

“Want to,” Tony said.

“Wait! Don’t close your eyes, please. Tony, please.” Steve began smoothing back Tony’s hair, his fingers moving over Tony in desperation.

“---“

“No, please, please…” Steve gulped hard. “God, please. Okay. Good, good. Just keep looking at me. They’re on the way. Just keep looking right here.” 

“I’m in a…” I’m in a lot of pain, he was going to say. It hurt everywhere. He was all at once freezing AND on fire on the inside. I think I’m dying, he was going to say. None of those things would do Steve any good. Steve’s mouth was already twisted into a frown, and the crease between his eyebrows deepened, and his voice cracking...

“To-ny,” Steve stuttered, his breath going uneven, his eyes going helplessly glossy.

“…In a parallel universe,” said Tony, at least willing himself to take control of his own tongue, mouth.

“Um. Yeah?” Steve whispered.

“We were dancing. It was nice. Having you close, pressed against me, moving with me…”

Steve let out a small chortle sound. “I don’t dance…” he whispered. His breath hitched on the name, “Tony.”

“In a parallel universe you do,” said Tony. “With me. There was this—fast one even. It was in a club. You were…and you made me…so hot, Steve. “

“You’re not making—“ But Steve stopped himself. He took a deep breath and mustered a smile. “Parallel universe you say? In some other universe you and I dance…?”

“Lots of universes. Steve. Lots of dances.”

Steve paused. His eyes roamed Tony’s face and he gave a small nod of the head, “That sounds nice, Tony.”

“I saw you. Before you were. When you were…pre-serum.”

Steve looks at him confused—unhappy?-- but Tony manages to smile, “Even then. Adorable. Always.”

“Ton...”

Tony pushes through the pain and rides a surge of energy as he looks at Steve and says hastily, “Remember when I was a bad guy? Well, not a BAD, bad guy…Or how about when I met you and thought you were just a cute cartoonist? Remember when we watched all those movies at movie night with everybody? Disney movies, sheesh. And you loved that Cupcake Avalanche game, man. Every universe should have that game for you, Steve.“

“Remember when you rescued me but then I thought I might have lost you when you were shot, but then…then it was going to be me and you forever, you know? Oh, Steve. Remember the first time we were together…how…how amazing…it was…everything…”

Steve kisses Tony’s forehead. Tony can feel how wet Steve’s chin is with tears, but he thinks he can feel the smile, there, too. 

“Vegas. Malibu. Brooklyn...” Tony is mumbling again, feeling practically spent and all but drained.

“Take me with you,” Steve’s voice sounds absolutely wrecked. “I want to be there with you, too.”

“You’re there. Always there. We always find—each other.”

Tony remembers one universe particular. One that was so easy and light compared to some of the others. And it led to being in Steve’s arms. And Tony’s chest was ridiculously human, normal, so welcoming to Steve’s large, nimble hands exploring it, “... I was just a genius…and you were just, Wow, just you… and we were just two guys at college trying to figure each other out…and the biggest problem we had is whether you were going to pass your class…”

“Of course, I would pass my class, Tony.” And he’s laughing and crying at the same time. And Tony wants to, too, but he can only do the crying part all of a sudden, he can’t will the smile.

Tony suddenly stops talking. Each breath becoming harder and harder to take.

Steve brings Tony tight against him, pressing him close, crushing their lips together desperately, crying out, “I love you, Tony. In this universe. In every universe.”

That’s right, thinks Tony. That was the important thing he wanted to tell Steve: that he loves him. But he’s gone before he gets the chance.  
****

Tony wakes up this time in the hospital. Usually he is instantly flooded with all the memories and specifics of the situation he has woken up in. Somehow Tony usually is simultaneously aware of his real life (the one in which he was with Steve on a jog—see, this is another reason exercise is overrated--and they had been blindsided by Doom’s attack) as well as the specific alternative universe memories. They upload in a flash.

And then he will know all the things that have led him to that moment of arrival. He’ll know what led up to Steve caressing his back, and licking into his mouth, breathing heavy, bucking into his hand and begging to go to find a bed with him.

Or sometimes he lands somewhere and he’ll know exactly how he fucked up by calling Steve some choice words, and he’ll be hyper aware of how he feels like an animal backed into the corner lashing out, afraid but playing it uber-cool. Uber-asshole. Lucky for Tony he usually gets to see it through until there’s an apology, an understanding…a declaration of love…

Sometimes he’ll remember everything that brought them to their wedding day or why he was showing Steve the lab for the first time or the what email he needed to answer before heading home from the office even.

This time is…blank?

But the look on Steve’s face is not-- it’s relief, it’s hope, it’s adoration-- when their eyes meet. “You’re with us,” he whispers. 

“I’m home,” says Tony, voice gravelly and straining to talk. Technically, no. Hospital room. But what he means is: no more parallel universes. Really home. 

“I love you,” whispers Steve, bringing Tony’s hand to his lips and kissing gently, then leaning down and resting their foreheads together.

Tony sighs, happily. That’s right, it all feels right, now. Relieved he could finally tell Steve. His Steve. “In this universe. In every universe. I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Basically I read and read Stony fiction and then I can't get any of the awesome stories out of my head. sooo. this is just my love letter to all Stony fanfiction authors. And my declaration that Tony and Steve are meant to be.


End file.
